Man accused of molesting 3-year-old girl arrested after police chase

A 23-year-old Bartlesville man who was found not guilty of sexual battery in 2011 has been arrested in Bartlesville after being reportedly caught in the act of molesting a 3-year-old girl.

Casey Adam Burns faces charges of child endangerment, lewd proposal to a minor child and eluding police, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a cancelled license, after incidents alleged to occurred June 7.

At the time of his arrest last Friday, Burns also had outstanding Osage County warrants seeking to revoke him on charges of making a telephone bomb threat and second degree burglary. He is currently free on a 10-year suspended sentence after being found guilty of making the bomb threat, according to online court records.

Burns was acquitted in 2011 of accusations that in October 2010, he had gone into a neighbor’s home and got into bed with a female resident and groped her, successfully claiming during trial that the act was consensual.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in his most recent case, a witness reportedly told authorities that he and Burns had been drinking beer together at his apartment in the 1100 block of Southeast Madison Boulevard on June 7, and that three children, ages 1, 3 and 4, were present.

The witness reportedly said that Burns had “made multiple trips to the bathroom to throw up throughout the day,” and that at one point, Burns went to the bathroom and minutes later the 3-year-old female went into the room with him.

The man said that at one point he could hear Burns attempting to hush the child and that the child was crying and saying “momma.”

The man reportedly told police that he became concerned and went into the bathroom to find Burns in a stage of undress and in a compromising position with the child. He said that when Burns saw him he “tried to cover himself a little,” the affidavit states.

According to police, the witness said that when he realized what was occurring, he told Burns to “get the hell out of my house” and then called authorities.

Burns reportedly took the three children, loaded them into his car and left the area. After receiving a description of Burns and the vehicle, police say they found him driving nearby and gave chase. Officers contend that Burns sped up and made abrupt turns as police chased him with lights and sirens activated. He eventually stopped in the parking lot of the Dollar General Store on Madison and “hurried inside the store,” leaving the three children in the car, police say. They say that the youngest child was in a rear facing car seat and that the other two children were “buckled in the backseat without booster seats.”

According to the affidavit, the children appeared to be “fine.”

When police approached Burns inside the store, they say, he smelled of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test before refusing further tests and was taken into custody.

When interviewed, the 3-year-old reportedly told police that Burns had “tried to make her touch” him.

When Burns was interviewed, he claimed that he was “comforting” the girl when his friend walked in on them, according to the affidavit.